


Almond's Adventure

by EAF_God, heilige_bos, kjack1111, Yellowfoot



Category: Cucumber Quest
Genre: Alternate Universe - Character Swap, Bagel has been renamed to ORGEAT, Baker Grizzlygum, Collaboration, Disaster Master Parfait, Forest Guardians Bakerette Sisters, Lots of the characters have been renamed slightly, Multi, dw we kept their core selves, slightly more mature cucumber quest, started with a 'Disaster Masters - Princesses' swap and escalated from there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26021362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EAF_God/pseuds/EAF_God, https://archiveofourown.org/users/heilige_bos/pseuds/heilige_bos, https://archiveofourown.org/users/kjack1111/pseuds/kjack1111, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yellowfoot/pseuds/Yellowfoot
Summary: Thousands of years ago, the kingdoms of Nightside lived in peace and harmony. Then, without warning, nor reason, a menace came to shatter that peace. His name struck fear and terror in the hearts of the Nightsiders and with the help of his Disaster Masters, he soon managed to conquer Nightside and slowly bring it to utter ruin.Then, Chardonnay, the Protector of Nightside, soon intervened. With her charming charisma and her WONDERFUL ASSISTANT, she selected a Legendary Hero to battle this fiend.The Legendary Hero and (and her little brother) traversed through kingdoms and - with the miraculous power of the Nightsword - managed to defeat the menace once and for all!...definitely.But his legend speaks of a warning; one day, he soon will be resurrected. And once that happens, then all of Nightside will face its final reckoning…
Relationships: Almond & Cucumber (Cucumber Quest), Cucumber & Lord Cabbage (Cucumber Quest)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	1. Act 1, Scene 1; Cupcake Village

**Author's Note:**

> I am so so excited to be able to share this with you. Presenting...!
> 
> THE CUCUMBER QUEST DISCORD COLLABORATION FIC
> 
> This all started from a single thought, then thanks to our collective fan energy, managed to grow into almost an entire fic. So, we decided to start up a collaborative doc anD IT EXPLODED.

**_“Your majesty!”_ **

**_The click-clack of heels ring all the room. A dark, tall silhouette kneels before a throne, a round stone held in their hands._ **

**_“It appears,” the silhouette purrs. “That we’ve had a special delivery.”_ **

**_A shadow, perched atop the throne, shifts slightly._ **

**_“That so?” the shadow speaks. An eerie giggle echoes around the walls. “Well done, Regent.”_ **

**_The silhouette purrs again and bows their head, unable to stop the shaking of their shoulders as their laughter joins the giggle._ **

**_And the stone?_ **

**_It’s placed on a round table, with six others of it’s kind._ **

* * *

“Almond! Your _FOOD_ will be _COLD_!”

Almond jerked upwards and awake, sputtering. She pushed the hair out of her eyes, wiping away...is that saliva?

_Gross._

“Wh-”

Standing beside her chair, hands on his hips and an eyebrow rose to make the face of utmost disapproval, Cucumber sighed. “I’ve been calling you for _literal ages_. Dad finished his cooking. And your FOOD-”

Almond winced and brushed him off. “Okay, okay! Sheesh,” she muttered, rubbing at her ears. “Did you _have_ to scream in my ear?”

Cucumber grinned and shrugged. “Well, that’d be stupidly _unfun_ , wouldn’t it?”

”Everything doesn’t _have_ to be fun y’know.” Almond said, rolling her eyes. 

Cuco wasn’t listening - he wasn’t even _there._

With a hearty sigh and a wince at her sore body, she rushed down the stairs. A soon as she stepped into the dining area, she was greeted by the smell of warm butter and, later, the sight of her father. 

”Kids! Almond, what took you so long? Your food was getting cold!” Her father scolded. A hint of hurt creeps into his tone. “Do you not like my cooking or something?” 

Almond bit her tongue. “W-well, er-”

Already seated at the dining table - how did he get there so fast? - Cuco leaned back in his chair. He kicked his feet up onto the table, only just managing to miss a very messy crash landing into his own plate. “Almond fell asleep at her desk again,” he ratted out, grinning from ear to ear.

Almond scrunched up her face at him in return, glumly taking her own seat _away_ from her annoying little brother. “I was working.”

Dad sighed, the anxiety in his gaze mirroring the one he wrung his hands with. “Almond, dear. Surely you don’t have to work _that_ badly? This is the fifth time this week you’ve fallen asleep at your desk instead of your bed!”

His tone struck a chord of guilt in her. “I know, I know.” Almond picked at the food with a fork. “I’m sorry. Won’t happen again. Honest.”

“You’ve sent that letter yet?” Cucumber asked, his words half mumbled through a large mouthful of food.

Almond ducked her head to hide her growing redness. “‘Was working on writing that…”

“You’re not even finished?” Dad sat, the utensils clicking around. “Sweetie, you’ll be _fine_. That school’d be crazy not to accept you in.”

“Unless you don’t send in that letter,” Cuco pointed out, very helpfully.

Almond sighed, shaking her head. “I know! I know! I’m just...finding the right words, okay?”

“What words-”

To Almond’s immense relief, Dad was interrupted by the sound of heavy knocking on their front door. 

”It is always when you sit down to eat dinner,” he muttered with agitation, mostly to himself. He pushed his chair back and stood up to walk to the door.

“Oh, Cuco!” Almond made a face. “Put your feet off the table, will you?”

Cucumber stuck his tongue out at her, but obliged. “Sheesh,” he harrumphed. “You sound like mom.”

“Oh my-”

The two siblings paused in their bickering, glancing up to their father who still stood by the door. Dad had his head slightly bowed and turned away from them, his hands gripping a letter so tightly that it shivered and crumpled.

“Oh goodness me,” Dad said, shaking his head. “This- this-”

Her concern through the roof, Almond pushed away from the table. “Dad?”

Dad turned to face them, his eyes wide and worried. “It’s...it’s from the Castle. It’s...from your mother-”

“Mom?” Cuco bounced up - either oblivious to the solemn take on the atmosphere, or intentionally choosing to ignore it. He grabbed the letter from their father’s unmoving hands, giving it a once-over.

Then promptly shoved the letter onto Almond’s hands.

“Well?” Cuco made a face, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Read it, sis.”

_Why doesn’t he just-_

Almond shook away the thoughts. She was never going to understand the inner workings of her little brother’s head, no matter how hard she tried. Unwilling to get into another bicker-fest - and also now genuinely curious - Almond smoothened the paper out and began to read.

“...Almond, dear?”

“Wha?” she blinked, torn away from the letter to gaze up at Dad’s eyes.

Dad made a pointed look at the letter. “Maybe read it _out loud_?”

“...oh.”

Cuco rolled his eyes.

Almond cleared her throat. “‘Dearest Cabbage, love. You haven’t heard from me in a while, but I assure you there is a reason-”

_Orgeat paused, the pen suspended a few inches above the paper. Through her door, down the hall, the shuffling feet of the guards made a jolt of adrenaline course through her. She held in a breath as the sounds continued, then eventually subsided._

_After a few moments of waiting and listening - making sure that she was safely alone - Orgeat resumed in her writing._

_‘Dark times have befallen us, my love,’ she wrote. ‘After our Kings and Queens untimely demise...I fear their daughter a bit too young to take charge.’_

“Wait, our king’s dead?”

“Cucumber, hush. Your sister’s reading.”

_‘I’ve heard talk amongst the staff.’ Orgeat stopped and shivered, glancing fearfully at her door. ‘The Young Queen is influenced by her regent - a strange woman, from even stranger lands. They aim…’_

“-for World Domination,” Almond finished.

Dad and Cuco were muttering to themselves, but Almond was barely listening. She was too occupied with reading and re-reading the last sentence in her mother’s letter - one that not only made _zero_ sense, but also made her heart sink all the way down to her soles.

“What does this mean?” 

Cuco and Dad glanced up to her, each with furrowed-eyebrow looks of confusion.

Almond gestured wildly to the letter, a flicker of minor outrage in her expression. “‘Please, send Almond here at once,’” she read. “‘It’s time for her to reach the age of maturity-’. What does _this_ mean?!”

Cuco stood on his toes, glancing down at the letter she held in her hands. “Pretty sure that means you should go to the Castle.”

“Yeah-no, I know _that_.”

“It does sound odd that your mother would send you out on this. Especially now,” Dad said, gently taking the letter from her hands. He looked down at it again, frowning deeply - and then shuddering. “Oh, but you- you know your darling mother! I think it’s best not to keep her waiting and...best head over there right now.”

Almond sputtered, glancing between her brother and her father. “Wh- but- but my letter! And the- the school-”

“I don’t know, sweetheart,” Dad murmured, staring at the letter with a solemn gaze. “A summon from your mother- I mean, 'World Domination’ sounds pretty...important.”

“Oh, hey!” Cuco spoke up. “Why don’t I go? Almond can work on her letter.” Her brother gave her an obvious look-over. “Besides, Almond...isn’t really world-saving material anyway.”

Almond didn’t even mind that much - too grateful for her brother’s offer.

“Oh, horrid! Absolutely not!” Dad said, firmly shaking his head. He turned to Almond, eyebrows furrowing. “Come on now, surely you don’t expect your little brother to go there!”

The siblings glanced at each other.

“Why not?” they cried out in unison.

Dad patted Almond’s head, still shaking his head. “No no, you _must_ be the one to go. I’m sure it’ll be perfectly safe and that you’ll have time to send in your letter!”

Dad paused, then added. “But I think you must be leaving right now, dear.”

“But I-” Almond glanced to the dining table, and her plate - still awaiting her with food.

“No buts!” Dad proclaimed. “Luckily, I just took out your Conveniently-Packed-With-Supplies-Satchel for you to bring with you!”

“My wh-”

Dad ducked under the table, shoving a moderately-sized satchel into her hands.

“But my-”

“Go get em, sweetheart!” Dad beamed, pushing her out the front door. “Oh, and write!”

_Slam._

Almond stood at the steps to her front door, outside.

Then she promptly flopped down with a loud, suffering groan.

“I should’ve just sent that letter,” she muttered, rubbing at the bridge of her nose. “The 56th draft wasn’t _that_ bad…”

Then, she frowned, drawn out of her thoughts and staring up at her surroundings. There was a subtle, shuffling sound...somewhere. 

_Shff._

_Shff._

_Clang._

Almond blinked as a large grape stumbled into view.

The grape turned, revealing a...sort of a face beneath it. Her head was attached to a slender, graceful form. Her dress - one of floor-length that reminded Almond vaguely of an upside-down tulip - swayed gently with her movements. In her hand, a golden staff entwined with what looked like grapevines shimmered in the dim night light.

“Oh-! Oh, pardon me.” She hovered closer to Almond. “Are- could you be the Legendary Hero?”

Almond blinked. “Wh- N-no, I don’t think so.”

The creature deflated, slightly. “Oh dear...My mistake then. Have a nice night!”

Almond couldn’t help herself from waving back as the creature turned, beginning to float off into the night.

Then the creature paused.

Almond frowned.

“Wait!” The creature turned, floating back over to her until the two were only a few distances apart. “Are you Almond, daughter of Lady Orgeat and Lord Cabbage?”

Almond swallowed, uneasily. She didn’t like how this was going. “Those..are my parents-”

“Oh!” The creature exclaimed, overjoyed. “Then I did it! I _found_ you, Legendary Hero!”

“But I-”

“My name’s Chardonnay,” The Creature introduced herself with a flourish of her staff. “I am the Protector of this world, and I have _really_ important information about your quest.”

“My que- Now, hold on!” Almond cried out. Her head was spinning - this was all going _way_ too fast.

She just wanted to go to school!

Chardonnay paused, slightly taken aback by her outburst. “Yes?”

Almond huffed out a breath, shaking her head. “I- Look, my name _is_ Almond. And my parents _are_ Orgeat and Cabbage. But-but I’m no Legendary Hero!”

Chardonnay made a sympathetic face. “Aww, I know it’s a bit much to take in at first-”

“Now, my brother!” Almond continued, cutting her off. “ _He’s_ the one you want. My little brother’s aiming to be the first Knightly Wizard in the realm! Isn’t that...I dunno, more heroic?”

“Little brother?” Chardonnay, at least, seemed to consider it for a few moments. Then, much to Almond’s sorrow, shook her head. “Oh no no, little brothers can’t be Legendary Heroes, silly!”

“Wh-”

“Now, please listen, this is really important,” Chardonnay said, floating back slightly. She lifted her staff and a three-dimensional rendition of the realm appeared between them.

Almond, despite her very strong dislike on what’s currently happening, couldn’t help but lean forward and appreciate the sight.

“Our world of Nightside is in grave, grave danger,” Chardonnay said, her tone going suitably hushed and worried. “There’s an ancient evil returning, and once it does I fear…”

Chardonnay cut herself off. With another wave of her staff, the rendition disappeared. “Oh, silly me. You’ve read the letter, right?”

“How did you know about the-”

Chardonnay leaned forward, using both her hands to hold Almond’s own. “Please, Hero. You must come to my home in Gumdrop Forest. I will be there, waiting for you.”

Almond blinked. “... _why_?”

“Oh, because I need to give you something!” Chardonnay beamed. “A gift, to help you on your way.”

“...why don’t-” Almond paused, taking in a deep breath. “You just give it..to me...here?”

Chardonnay blinked.

Almond blinked.

The two were left in awkward silence.

“So, you’ll come?” Chardonnay prompted.

“I-”

“Oh, how wonderful! Thank you _so_ much, Legendary Hero!” 

Chardonnay sounded so genuinely happy, Almond didn’t have the heart to tell her no…

So instead, the newly dubbed ‘Legendary Hero’ sighed. Then, she frowned. “Wait..if you’re the protector of this realm then-”

Too late, Chardonnay was already gone. There was nothing but a small wisp in the air to mark where she once stood, once that fizzled out whilst Almond stared down at it.

She crossed her arms, hunching in on herself, and released another low, suffering groan.


	2. Act 1, Scene 2; Caketown Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning.

Caketown, as always, was bustling with life.

Bakeries opened their doors, letting in the morning crowd and letting out the warm, buttery smell specified to bakeries. Nightsiders roamed the streets, chattering and laughing, calling after their children whenever they ran too far off.

Almond never minded Caketown.

Except now.

She trudged glumly down the path, her hands shoved into the pockets of her pants. Her satchel would occasionally bump against her thigh, it’s contents - which Almond didn’t even bother looking yet - jostling as they did. 

Almond didn’t care  _ what _ her parents said. She was  _ not _ walking in the night. If she had to take shelter in her workshop to wait for daybreak, then so be it. At least the comfortably familiar smell of wood and the heat of the furnace calmed her down, somewhat.

Sooner and later than she would’ve liked, the large double doors of Caketown Castle loomed before her.

“Well,” she sighed, reshifting the strap of her satchel on her shoulder. “Now or never.”

Almond pressed her palms against the surface and, with a small grunt, pushed it wide open. She took a step, then another - anxiously peeking around corners before stepping forward.

“Hey! You there! The Kid with the Brown Hair and the Ugly Brown Satchel!”

Mildly offended, Almond glanced to her satchel. It wasn’t  _ that _ bad!

Then she blinked.

Looming over her were three..guards? She supposed they were guards, though they...didn’t really look like them. One guard stepped forward, his towering height greatly surpassing that of her own.

“State your business,” he growled.

The second guard stepped up, his burly arms crossed against his equally burly chest. “You  _ cannot _ simply walk into a castle.”

The third guard bounced forward, startingly contrast to the first two. This one was much, much smaller and had a child-like sheen to her gaze. “Yeah! Watch your steps!”

Almond, clearly intimidated by such oh-so-overwhelming bravado, took a step back. Her back bumped against the wall and, with a small note of minor panic, realised she was now practically cornered.

“Oh-oh, I’m sorry!” She waved her hands, chuckling nervously. “My mom’s Orgeat. Lady Orgeat? She asked me to be here?”

The three guards stared silently.

“Oh! See, she sent me a letter-” Quickly, Almond rummaged through her pockets, taking out the neatly folded piece of paper. With a slightly nervous tinge to her smile, she offered it to the guards.

The first guard took it first, his eyes narrowing.

The second guard looked at it, too - turning the paper around in his hand to view the front and back side.

The third guard grabbed at it, held it in her hands. Then promptly shredded it to tiny pieces, aided by her shockingly sharp fingernails.

The remnants of the letter wafted down onto the ground - which Almond gaped at, her jaw hanging wide open.

“Whoops!” The third guard shrugged, waving their hands. “Butterfingers.”

“Oh dear,” The first guard said, looking over at the paper pieces. “Looks like you don’t have a letter anymore.”

“H-hey!” Almond cried out, her fingers clenching into fists. “You can’t just do that! Who do you think you-”

“Who are we?” The first guard interrupted.

“Who we are?” The second guard mused.

“Well, listen up!” The third guard cried out. “And we’ll tell you!”

Almond blinked, suddenly greatly regretting her decision to even ask.

The First guard widened his stance, striking a pose. “Caboodle! Champion of Justice!”

The Second guard lifted up both arms and one leg, impressively maintaining his balance. “Faboodle! Co-commander of Logic!”

The Third guard pushed between them, nearly knocking over both ‘Caboodle’ and ‘Faboodle’ whilst they both desperately tried to maintain their poses. “And I’m Kitkat!” she cried out, loudest of them all. “The Cadet of Adventure!”

After a show-stoppingly synchronised little dance, Kitkat then exclaimed, “And together! We’re the CFK Squad!”

Almond blinked.

The guards blinked.

Caboodle sighed. “Kitkat..it  _ isn’t  _ the CFK squad.”

Faboodle shook his head, almost sorrowfully dismayed. “Yeah. It isn’t even a ‘squad’. It’s a ‘trio’.”

Kitkat harrumphed, crossing her arms and pouting slightly. “Well,  _ I _ think that CFK squad sounds better!”

“We’ve run over this.” Caboodle rubbed a hand on his face. “The FCK TRIO sounds the best! You  _ voted _ for FCK trio!”

“Well, I changed my mind!”

“It’s  _ too late _ to change your mind, Kitkat.”

“Says  _ who _ ?”

“Says-”

Almond blinked at the empty space towards the side.

“Well,  _ I  _ say-”

“Kitkat, we’ve gone through this a hundred times!”

Slowly, but surely, the sounds of their argument died off. Almond glanced behind her to where the guards still stood, completely oblivious to her departure.

She shrugged. Wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“FCK,” Almond muttered to herself as she hurried down the steps. “So... _ weird _ . Maybe things are looking a bit-”

At the end of the steps, a dimly lit room opened up to her side. Almond frowned, stepping through the doorway, her gaze instantly drawn to the rounded table in the middle.

On its surface, seven small round stones arranged in a circle.

“Almond? Dear, is that you?”

“Mom?” 

Quickly, only just letting her eyes adjust, Almond hurried over to the side. There, trapped behind bars, her mother reached out to her.

“Oh, Almond! You came!” Mom held her face in her hands, looking her over. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine Mom,” Almond said, half-muffled thanks to her mother squishing her cheeks. She shook the hands off, gripping onto the bars. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“Oh, Almond it was dreadful,” Mom sighed. “The Queen must’ve gotten wind of my cry for help. Before I knew it I was thrown into this terrible, terrible dungeon.”

Almond glanced behind her, where a comfy armchair and an array of bookshelves and books stood tall. “Yeah... really terrible.”

“Now dear, listen carefully.” Mom tilted her chin upwards so that their gazes met. “Today’s a very important day. The time you reached the age of Maturity.”

“You...mentioned that,” Almond winced. “I read your letter.”

“Well! Then you must be well informed!” Mom drew back into the dungeon, placing her hands on her hips. “Nightside is in horrible peril!”

“Peril!?” Almond cried out. She paused. “It...looks fine, Mom.”

“It’s only just begun!” Mom wailed. “Oh, Almond! The Queen’s influenced by a terrible woman - a woman they call, ‘Regent Cordelia’.”

“Rege-”

“She’ll have the entire realm in  _ ruins _ at this rate!”

Almond blinked, leaning back slightly. “R-ruins? Isn’t that...just a tiny bit dramatic-”

Suddenly, Mom reached through the bars and pulled her closer by the fabric of her sweater. Almond grunted as she was forcefully pulled against the bars, her eyes wide.

“This is no game, Almond,” Mom hissed. “She plans on resurrecting...Nightside’s Greatest Enemy.”

Almond’s breath caught in her throat. “Nightside’s Greatest...like the legends?”

Her mother nodded, fear in her gaze. “‘Thousands of years ago, a menace came to wreak destruction and havoc on Nightside. With the power of Nightside’s Protector, the first Legendary Hero-”

“-managed to seal him away,” Almond finished.

She knew the legends.

Mom nodded. “A creature, whose  _ name _ is enough to strike fear and terror in all the realms. Oh, if she managed to get him back-”

“His-His name?”

Mom nodded. “His name… Steve. ”

Almond blinked.

“...Steve?”

“Yes, Steve,” her mother said, irritably. She reached through the bars, giving Almonds’ ears a firm tug. “Did you clean your ears recently?”

“Ow! Mom, I heard you.” Almond twisted out of her mother’s grasp. “It’s just...what’s so terrifying about the name ‘Steve’?”

Mom sighed, shaking her head. “Almond, Almond, when was the last time you’ve heard of a food being named ‘Steve’?”

“...not ever-”

“Exactly!” Mom glanced away, shuddering. “What is this...menace, that doesn’t even have food to his name!?”

Almond blinked.

“Oh, and she’s so close to bringing him back, too!” Mom proclaimed, bringing a hand to her forehead. She leaned against the bars, slumping down slightly - in a manner that, to Almond, was a  _ tad _ bit overdramatic.

Yeah, just a  _ tad _ bit.

Almost dreading the question she was about to ask, Almond sighed. “How..close  _ is  _ she?”

“Very close.”

Almond whipped around, a scream choked back in her throat. Emerging from the shadows on the opposite side of the room, a tall figure stepped up - a woman with sleek black hair, a slim frame, and a Disaster Stone in her hand.

“As a matter of fact,” Regent Cordelia purred. “This is the last one.”

The woman placed the stone with the others.

And everything exploded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...well, that's not good


	3. Act 1, Scene 3; Resurrection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Look who's here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! This is Bush, and I'd like to explain a lil' about updating times.
> 
> At first, we all thought we'd do it by a one-week interval. However, some of the scenes are fairly short, and it'd be sad for you guys to have waited a week and only gotten a short chapter.   
> After some discussion, we've decided to instead post what we have every other day - and then post new ones as we finish them!
> 
> This does make things a bit weird though, and for that I am sorry. We're still trying to strike a balance that works out for all of us!
> 
> This chapter - 'Resurrection' - is a shorty, so we've paired it with another chapter! So what you're going through right now is basically a two chapter update.
> 
> (Hey! This is the first chapter of the two chapter update! There's another one after this one!)

When the blinding light finally cleared, and Almond’s eyes finally stopped hurting, she lowered her arms.

Standing in between her and Regent Cordelia were two, new figures.

One, a woman with pale pink hair. A large, cake-topped staff in her hand and a sneer on her face. Her eyes were cold, and when she glanced back to Almond, it was enough to make the Legendary Hero shiver.

Then…

Steve.

A living, moving,  _ growing _ shadow. A whisper from nightmares. A sharp grin glinting in the darkness. A cloud of purple billowing around him.

Almond stifled a whimper.

The shadow grew, _kept growing,_ nearly filling up the entire room before-

**“Ow!”** It stopped abruptly, the table jostling as Steve bumped against the walls and ceilings. 

There was a sharp intake of breath.

**“Why are we in such a small room.”**

Cordelia looked like she wanted to answer, but her mouth was too busy opening and closing without a sound for her to get out a reply.

_ “You alright there, monsieur?” _

**“Yeah, yeah, gimme a sec-”**

This time, the purple grew. Almond could see a shadowy hand grab at the purple, twisting it all around him in a flurry of stars, clouds and magic.

As it cleared, the shadow was smaller.

**“Which one of you summoned me?”**

Cordelia didn’t look all that confident anymore, pressed with her back flat against the wall. She gulped, glancing up to Steve’s cold and hard smile. “Th-that-I did, b-but by the order of my queen!”

**“Your…’queen’.”** The shadow sighed, almost sounding disappointedly bored. He turned.  **“Well, where is your-”**

Almond could tell instantly when his gaze fell on her - he jolted back, moving in a way that was surprisingly fluid, but clearly taken-aback.

**“...Legendary Hero.”**

_ Oh no… _

Almond exhaled sharply.

**“I didn’t expect to see you here, not this early.”** Steve floated forward, steadily closing the distance between them. Almond flinched back against the bars, the contact of her skull banging against it making the metal clang.

Her words, whatever they were going to be, died before they could ever make her tongue. She felt her eyes widen to impossible sizes. Felt like a caged animal with  _ no escape no way out no way to run _ as Steve extended a hand to her.

And pressed his palm against her sweaty forehead.

Almond breathed in, shuddering.

Everything disappeared.

_...did you kill her, monsieur? _

_...Nah...I’ll let you have your fun. _


	4. Act 1, Scene 4; WAKE UP-

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'How'd you get here?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (psst, hey! this is the second chapter of the two-chapter update! if you missed the first one, you should probably check It out!)

“ALMOND!"

The Legendary Hero jolted upwards with a cry, then promptly bumped her head.

“Ow!” She rubbed at her forehead, blinking rapidly. Her vision still swam, but even through it, she could recognise that vibrant orange hair…

“Cuco?” she gasped, her vision beginning to focus slightly.

Slowly, her vision cleared enough for her to see her little brother rub at his forehead, his mouth twisted in a pained grimace. “Ow,” Cucumber complained. “Why do you have such a hard skull-?”

“Because it’s for my- what are you doing here?” Almond gasped out. “I thought you were at home.”

Cuco scoffed lightly, waving her off. “Please, I knew you wouldn’t last long without me, so I snuck out.” He frowned, glancing back over to her. “Good thing I did too. When I got here, you were just lying on the ground, sleeping.”

Almond rubbed at her forehead, though this time not from the pain. She could still feel the cold, cold chill from...Steve.

“Almond, sweetheart!”

She blinked, turning her head.

Her mom leaned towards her, gripping the bars in her hands.  
“Do you know where to go next? Please, Steve is already out and the world is going to be in peril!” Mom cried with distress in her voice. Or fake distress, because immediately after she said, “Cucumber, go and help your father out at home. He must be worried sick since you snuck off!”

“What!” He looked at her in shock. “I won’t miss this! An adventure? Of course I’m going!”

“No, you won’t.” Almond gripped her brother’s shoulder and heaved herself up. “I saw… him. I- I don’t think it would be safe for you to go.”

“What!?” Cucumber harrumphed as he walked towards the bars, turning around to face her. “You too? You know I’m much more capable than you! I can handle this all on my own! You go home with dad while I do all the heavy lifting, okay?”

“But-” Almond began before being interrupted by a shrill shriek.

“NO! NO NO NO NO NO!!!” They turned to face their mother, watching as she stomped around in the cell like a little child. “You're a little brother! Little brothers can’t be heroes! Listen to what I say, go home to your father and prepare for the apocalypse!”

“No, I won’t!” Cuco screamed at her.

“I agree.” Almond took a step towards their mother.

Mom had a smug look on her face. “Of course. Now run along, Cucumber. You don’t want to keep your father wait-”

“With him.”

“Huh?” Mom’s expression was, at first, was appalled. Then it turned angry as she faced Almond. “But your brother will be in danger!”

“I don’t want to go alone.” Almond turned her head towards her brother.

His expression was puzzled and wide-eyed - as if he really couldn’t believe it.

She turned back at Mom. “And I don’t want him to go alone either, that’s why-” Almond took a sideways step and took the hand of her brother. “We’re going together.”

“WHAT???” Both of them screamed.

Afterwards, a chorus of protests rained down from both her mother and brother. Almond winced and squeezed her eyes shut.

“You just can’t, it’s not how it’s done and-”

“I’m not a little baby, I can handle myself-”

“Little brothers can’t be heroes-!”

“I’m only a little younger than you-!”

“YOU JUST CAN’T DO-” They both began to scream.

“STOP!” Almond screamed at the top of her lungs.

The both of them stopped to look at her, both with wide eyes.

Almond huffed out, then breathed in a sharp and calming breath. “Why can’t I?” she asked, meeting her mother’s gaze. “In the original legend, The Hero had help from their little brother, so why can’t I?”

“What?” Mom huffed, already beginning to spout out a tirade of excuses. After a few words, though, she stopped for a second to think about it - tapping her foot. “Fine,” she sighed out, finally. “Since in the original tale, The Hero and her little brother worked together, you can go with him.”

Almond smiled, relief flooded through her. She turned towards her brother. “I am not calling you a baby just because I care for you. I saw him. I still feel his presence, you can’t do this alone. It's way too dangerous.”

Cuco turned his head in a huff, not looking Almond in the eye.

“Steve is a being of full malice and evil, please, I’m begging you.” She grabbed his hands and squeezed them, hard. Almond looked at him with desperate, pleading eyes and uttered one final word, “Please.”

His gaze finally flicked back to Almond. “...eugh, fine.”

Almond smiled grew bigger than her reaction with Mom - she was overjoyed.

Cucumber continued, with a sigh in his tone, “Since its such a big deal for you, I’ll join you.”

“Yes!” Almond cried aloud. “Thank you thank you thank you-”

Cucumber harrumphed softly, rolling his eyes - yet this time, with more fondness. Almond beamed, letting go of one of Cucumber’s hands and used the other one to drag him along.

Together, they walked towards the door, and out of the castle.


	5. Act 1, Scene 5; We're here to help!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Where do we go now?"

“We need to buy a new sword.”

Almond paused in her stride. Slowly, her expression the definition of  _ incredulous _ , she turned to stare down at her little brother.

“..what?”

Cuco sighed and held up his sword as a form of response. The blade - once brand new a few weeks ago - was now bent at all odd angles.

Almond blinked. “How did-”

Cuco dropped his sword, shrugging. “Had to fight these weird guards to walk in,” he said, tone dismissing and matter-of-fact.

_ Oh,  _ Almond thought.  _ Them. _

Cucumber skipped ahead of her slightly, waving his bent sword around - understandably creating a large berth of people around him. “So!” He turned his head to her, grinning from ear to ear. “I saw this cool looking sword on display once-”

“Cuco,” Almond interrupted. She stopped herself, then decided to continue on a more... _ gentler _ tone. “Cuco...I doubt I’d have enough money to buy the  _ hilt _ of that sword.”

Cucumber whipped around, walking backwards and only just managing  _ not _ to bump into everyone in Caketown.

“What did Dad even pack in your satchel anyway?” He jerked his head to the bag slung across Almond’s shoulder. “He didn’t give you any pocket money?”

Almond frowned, glancing to the aforementioned bag. She hadn’t really...checked it out yet. Out of spite, or maybe because she was just hoping that she’d be home before she had to use any of the things inside. 

She sighed. Fat chance of that happening now.

“I don’t think so, but...”Almond blinked. 

Oh, she might as well. Who knows, maybe there  _ would  _ be enough money for a sword?

She started walking, rummaging through the satchel,  _ unfortunately  _ not paying enough attention. 

Almond did find money, but it was nowhere NEAR enough for a whole sword. “Sorry Cuco, dad didn’t give enough for a swor- OOF!”

Almond had bumped into someone and both her, and them - and whatever they were carrying fell to the ground. “I’m so sorry!” she apologized, quickly getting up. Almond gave a hand to the…

Almond blinked, withdrawing her hand slightly as the large bear rubbed at his head. “Oush…” he mumbled. “That hurtshh.”

For a moment, it was all she could do but stare. Then, realizing that she was, in fact, being extremely rude, shook herself and extended her hand again.

“Oh…” she winced, eyeing the scattered cookies all over the path. “Sorry again! Cuco and I would- oh.”

Almond looked around, frowning at the very lack of Cucumber by her side. She turned, then relaxed - there he was, t finally catching up to her. She must have been walking faster than she thought.

The bear sighed, rising to his paws and staring at the lost cookies. “Owhhh,” he moaned. “My cookiesh!”

Cucumber came up to her side, an eyebrow raised. “Wow,” he said, very sarcastically. “Real Legendary Hero of you, sis.”

Almond huffed and glanced away, real guilt settling in her chest. “Is-is there anything we can do?” she asked. “Maybe- help you bake them again?”

The bear sighed, shaking his large head. “There’sh no point. I don’t have anymore shugar to bake ‘em with! It’sh all gone!”

“A bakery, with no sugar?” Cucumber tilted his head. “How does  _ that _ work?”

Almond scowled softly, shoving an elbow into her little brother’s ribcages and successfully shutting him up. “Well, there has to be some way we can help?” Almond glanced down to the fallen cookies. “Maybe...maybe we can get more sh- more sugar for you?”

The bear blinked slowly at that, glancing around them - as if suddenly worried that the old lady feeding the birds would listen in to their conversation. “Look, don’t tell anyone, okay? But the shugar is shpecial.”

“Spe-”

“We can take it!” Cuco cried out, startling Almond enough for her to jump slightly. “It’s a quest!”

Almond groaned softly.

“Oh my, really!” The bear brightened considerably. “That’sh mighty kind of you.”

“Hey, don’t mention it!” Cuco grinned, slapping his sister on the back. “To make up for Almond bumping into your cookies.”

At that, the Legendary Hero winced and sighed. She supposed...she did have to make up for ruining the bear’s batch of cookies. They looked really good, even while they were lying around on the dirty pathway.

“Where can we get the sugar?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Okay, but this is the LAST side-quest we're doing, got it?"
> 
> '...should we uh...tell her or?'  
> 'Nah, she'll figure it out.'


	6. Act 1, Scene 6; Gumdrop Forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Haven't you heard about those weird...twin ghouls that screech and run around in the forest?"  
> "...no? That literally doesn't exist."  
> "buT STILL ITS A DARK AND SPOOKY FOREST HOW CAN YOU NOT-"

Almond stared into the forest with a deep, heavy sigh.

“Do we really need to-” 

“Come  _ on _ , sis,” Cuco sighed, loud and annoyed. “ _ You’re _ the one who ruined Grizzlygums cookies.”

Almond winced at that. 

The truth.

“You know the stories about the forest, right?” she shivered, glancing in again, staring at the shadows. “The...monsters? You don’t even have a  _ sword _ , Cuco! How are you going to-”

She was interrupted as, instead of unsheathing his sword, her little brother took out his wand. He hefted it once in his hand, then glanced on over to her. “I got this, sis,” he assured her, his eyes glinting playfully in the light. “Now let’s get that sugar!”

With that cheery note, he bounded into the shadows of the trees. Almond stared after him for a while, then sighed and jogged after.

...

They’d been walking for a while now. While the forest  _ had _ looked dark and creepy from the outside, the trees had thinned out the further they walked in. Bright sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating a spectacular sight of coloured lights on the forest floor. Almond had been so transfixed in looking at them that-

She completely didn’t realise she’d walked into a trap.

“Whoah-!” Suddenly, she was lifted up into the air. A rope was tied around her ankle, dangling her from one of the branches up above. Almond’s eyes widened as the world turned upside down and as she was left there, hanging, suspended.

“We got ‘em, hon!”

Whoops and cheers erupted from the trees. 

”Who is there!” Cucumber yelled whilst she was swinging, side-to-side. Finally, it stopped and, stifling back a gag, she saw two shadows on a hill. 

”Who are we, man?” One shadow called out.

”Oh hon-” The other shadow took a step forward and in the small beam of light, they saw a Nightsider. She had pastel pink skin but hot pink hair. They were wearing… armour of some sort. ”We’re the guardians of Gumdrop forest!”

”Protectors of Chardonnay’s home!” The first shadow also took a step forward. They looked like the other one, but browner.

”Hey! What’s your big deal!” Almond cried as the rope began to slowly turn her around. She winced softly in pain, as the rope was digging into her skin.

”Ugh,” The brown one groaned. ”We were protecting this forest man! What’s  _ your  _ big deal? Why are you here?”

”We were just getting sugar!” Cucumber answered. “And if you're the protectors, you would know my sisters The Legendary Hero!”

The two…’guardians’ looked at each other. The pink one was about to speak before the brown one erupted into loud and boisterous laughter. 

”Hahaha!  _ Man!  _ Do you really think we’re  _ that  _ gullible?” The brown-one snickered, wiping away a fake tear of laughter. “If you just wanted sugar, we can just watch you as you go get it, you don’t need to lie!”

”But we-” Almond began, but since she was spinning away from the two, she tried to spin herself around with a grunt. ”I mean I  _ am  _ the legendary hero!”

The brown once crossed her arms and opened her mouth to object, but the pink one put a hand on her shoulder to silence her. 

She then spoke. ”I think she's right, hon. Chardonnay  _ did  _ say a hero was coming here, and she fits the description.” She waved a hand in Almond’s direction. 

The brown one scoffed. ”Fine Tartelette, but if you kids were lying all along,  _ you’ll  _ be in big trouble!” 

She walked down the hill and untied Almond’s ankle. The Legendary Hero then proceeded to fall on her head. Slowly, she got up to a sitting position, looking over the red spot on her ankle where the rope used to be. 

She sighed. The real quest hasn’t even  _ started _ and she already got an injury. 

Almond stood up fully and winced as the pain shot up her leg. 

”Sorry hon,” The pink one ran up to the kids. ”I’m Tartelette, and this is Baguette-” She waved an arm in the direction of the brown one. 

”We’re the Bakerette sisters!” ‘Tartelette’ said, leaning against ‘Baguette’.

”But you guys aren’t bakers,” Cucumber commented. 

Baguette frowned then shook her head. “Our name doesn’t need to match what we do man! Just follow us.” She grabbed Cucumber’s arm, practically dragging him.

Leaving her with Tartelette.

”May I help you, hon?” the Bakerette asked.

Almond snapped her attention to her, realizing the guardian was, in fact, talking to her. 

”Uh, yeah okay.” Almond’s ankle still was quite sore, and she was going to have to hobble slightly for a while. 

She could’ve sworn that Tartelette  _ almost _ looked sorry.

As it was, the Bakerette gently grabbed her hand and patiently walked side by side with her all the way to the Rock Candy Caves. 


	7. Act 1, Scene 7: Rock Candy Caves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Protector's home seemed to shine from the inside...

“Legendary Heroes!” Chardonnay beamed at all of them, her arms spread wide open in a welcoming pose. “Whe-”

“ _WHERE_ have you _been?!”_ a smaller voice called out, shrill and angry.

Almond blinked, eyebrows furrowing as she tried to locate the source of the said voice. For a good while, all she saw was the Protector of Dreamside and the light-blue crystals that decorated her home.

Then Almond realised, with a small jolt, that some part of the crystals were _moving…_

Something small and angry floated up to her face, only just enough for Almond to have to blink and refocus her eyes. The small thing, in question, seemed to be some sort of...woman. Blue-skinned, a dress reminding the Legendary Hero of clouds, and...three eyes.

The woman pressed something on her nose with a soft, barely audible squish. “You,” she seethed, “were _ridiculously_ late.”

“Dreamy,” Chardonnay called, weakly. “We’re not here to assign blame…”

“But if they came earlier!” ‘Dreamy’ fumed, all three eyes possessing enough ice to freeze the Hero right then and there.

“I’m sure Almond had her reasons,” Chardonnay said, glancing over to her as she spoke. Almond could’ve sworn she saw a note of pleading in her gaze - almost as if she were begging her to say, _yes, there was a reason._

“Uh,” Almond said. “There was a reason-”

“There, see?’ Chardonnay beamed. “Now, leave the poor Hero alone, Dreamy. They already have a boss to fight.”

“A wha-”

“A boss!” Cuco scree-ed. He was nearly jumping in place, pure excitement shining out of his eyes, “Oh! Oh yes! Finally! Let’s do a boss battle!”

“Let’s _not-_ ” Almond said, quickly. Her gaze flicked to Chardonnay. “Uh..you said you had something for...me?”

“Oh, yes!” Chardonnay made to turn, then paused. Something like...sorrow flickered through her gaze. “Or rather, I _did_ ,” she sighed. “I was to give you the Nightsword, Legendary Hero.”

“The Nightsword-” That was from Baguette. “Now, hold on man. So this pipsqueak really _is_ the Legendary Hero?”

“Pipsquea-”

“Yes, Baguette,” Chardonnay said, sounding almost amused. All traces of light-heartedness faded away quickly, however, as Nightside’s Protector wrung her hands with anxiety. “It was stolen, and without it we-”

_“Cannot defeat Monsieur Steve, yes?”_

Almond recognised the voice.

She _recognised-_

Slower than the others, almost dreading the sight, Almond turned. There, with the Nightsword in one hand and her cake-topped staff in the other. The woman who appeared with Steve.

 _“J’mapelle,_ Cakemaster,” she sneered. _“We’ve met, Hero.”_

Whilst Almond’s voice had left the premises, Cuco didn’t seem to have that problem.  
“Cakemaster?” he snorted. “Really?”

Cakemaster’s expression, if possible, turned even more stone-y. _“For a Little Brother, your tongue is sharp.”_

Cakemaster said it like a title - ‘Little Brother’. Her tone, spiteful and cold and _hard_ , implied that it was the only thing Cuco was ever going to be.

Cuco, of course, didn’t take kindly to that. He hefted his wand in his hand, a hard glint joining in with the sheer excitement in his gaze.

Almond wished he weren’t so excited…

 _“Oh, but you were looking for this, yes?”_ Cakemaster lifted up the Nightsword, her sneer back on her face. _“This?”_

“Yeah, you’re gonna give it back or-”

_“I doubt you need my answer, Little Brother.”_

“Worth a shot.” Cucumber shrugged and stepped forward.

Then it began.

With a twirl of Cakemaster’s hands, the Nightsword disappeared. With another flick of the wrist, pink streams flowed - white stars sparkling as they approached the growing outcroppings and spikes of sugar. The magic flowed and cocooned them, bringing them upwards and shaping them into - frankly terrifying - forms. With a sharp grin enough to rival Steve’s own, Cakemaster disappeared and they - the sugary spikes, four in total - became large golems of cake in a flash of light.

The golems turned their heads towards Cucumber, though her little brother seemed unbothered. He simply grinned and aimed his wand at the group. 

“Who first?”

The golems came charging.

Almond decided to trust her little brother and promptly took cover behind a crystal outcropping, ducking her head down as the caves _shook._

A bolt of lightning appeared from Cucumber’s wand, shooting through the head of one of the golems, steam flowing from the burnt hole as it fell, motionless, to the ground.

One down.

Two of the remaining golems slid to a stop in front of Cucumber, the third one barrelling through it as it attempted to trample the Legendary Hero(‘s little brother). Cucumber jumped up as it approached him, the Golem running below him and into a wall - some of it splattering against the wall as it stuck.

Landing on his feet, Cucumber was promptly hit in the side by one of the Golem’s fists. He was sent tumbling across the ground and quickly entered a roll, eventually stopping. Getting up, completely nonchalant, and dusting himself off, he looked up to see the two golems charging at him. He aimed his wand and fired off a small yellow star, ploughing straight through one of the golems.

It grumbled as it tripped, falling apart into several variously-sized cakes.

Two more down.

The last golem still charging, Cucumber jumped behind a sugar outcrop and it smashed into the cave wall, plastering itself all over it. 

Cucumber walked away from his cover, looking around. 

And he grinned.

“Honestly, about what I was expecting for my first fight!” he stated, that grin still spread wide over his face, walking over to where Almond hid.

“Are…” Chardonnay breathed out, slowly lowering her staff. The Protector had not moved throughout the entire fight, instead opting to raise a lime-green barrier around herself and the guardians. “Are you sure that was your…’first’ fight?”

Cucumber turned to her, shrugging. “First in this quest, I guess.”

Almond breathed out a sigh, stepping out of her cover. A nearby Cake Golemn piece shifted slightly and she flinched back, eyes widening.  
“Oh, don’t worry,” Cuco said. “Without their caster, these things are pretty easy to break.” He gave one’s head a firm kick, as if to prove his point.

Almond winced. “I’ll...I’ll take your word for it, please.”

Cuco shrugged.

“Psh, fine, that was a good fight.” 

Cucumber blinked as Dreamy flew up to his face, his eyes crossing as he tried to spy her, seated atop his nose. “But you _do_ realise that it was just a waste of time, right?”

Cucumber harrumphed, shaking his head snd successfully dislodging the ‘Assistant’ from his face. “What?” He crossed his arms, his voice near shrill with outrage. “How could you have said that was a waste of time. That was a _great_ use of time!”

“We still don’t have the Nightsword!” Dreamy fumed, her hands waving around like tiny whirlwinds of fury. “I don’t care how _flashy_ you beat the cake golems-”

_“Flashy?!”_

Before her charming little brother could begin to fist-fight Chardonnay’s assistant, Almond stepped up and snagged him by the collar of his shirt. “Cuco,” she said, her tone both stern and calming.

Chardonnay, practically mirroring her actions, hovered up to the bristling pair. She caught Dreamy in her hands, practically containing her and drawing it closer to her chest.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Chardonnay was saying, her eyes soft with the sheer amount of apologetic sorrow there was. “Please, we’re all just...uh...really worried.”

Dreamy was yelling something, although it was muffled by the obstruction of Chadonnay’s hands. Frowning, Nightside’s Protector opened them enough for Dreamy to stick her furious head out.  
“You don’t even!” Have a! Sword!” Dreamy fumed. She looked like she was about to go on a whole new tirade of furious yelling, before Chardonnay snapped her hands shut and Dreamy’s yelling grew muffled once more.

“Er, yes.” Chardonnay blinked. “Very worried.”

Cucumber shrugged out of his sister’s grip, his shoulders rising and falling with a deep sigh. ‘She’s right about that last bit though,” Cucumber grimaced. ‘I don’t have a sword, yet.”

“Per-perhaps I could recommend you some good smiths?” Chardonnay asked, her tone so very hopeful and _please-let-me-make-up-for-this_. “Grizzlygum is well-known for his skills-”

“Hold on.” Almond blinked. “Grizzlygum?”

“Yes.” Chardonnay tilted her head, a glimmer of excitement passing through her eyes. “You’ve walked into him, before?”

“Literally,” Cucumber smirked, elbowing his sister in the ribcages.

Almond winced, rubbing at her side. “He asked us to get some sugar for him.” Abruptly, the ‘Legendary Hero’ straightened. “Oh! Now we can just ask him for a sword when we give him back his sugar.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Cuco shrugged. He frowned, then. “What about the Nightsword, though?”

“Oh, I’ll- I mean, _we_ will take care of that.” Chardonnay opened her hands, letting Dreamy flutter out into the open. “I’ll come back to you with Cakemaster’s location.”

“You- you can do that?” Almond blinked.  
Chardonnay smirked at her, although it was somewhat sad and not in an unkind way. “Dearest child, I’m Nightside’s Protector. There are ways I can make myself useful to the Heroes.”

“C’mere hons,” Tartelette spoke up. She waved them over to the salt piles, a bright smile on her face and in her eyes. “Grizzly gum will be waiting for you.”

Cucumber took a step towards them, shoving his wand back and turning his head to give Almond a wide, wide smile. “Well,” he giggled an almost excitedly crazed - if not unsettling - gleam in his eyes. “Looks like our adventure just started!”

Almond sighed, left with no other choice but to tag along.

It most certainly did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tadaa! That's the end of Act 1 for us folks!
> 
> See you in Act 2!


	8. Act 2, Scene 1; Gabbro's Bro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Act 2

“Thanksh for the shugar!” Grizzlygum beamed. “You guysh really shaved me!”

Almond chuckled at that, breathing in the comforting smells that only the insides of a bakery could have. A very well-known bakery, at that. 

“It’s the least we can do,” Almond said, unable to fight the genuine growth of her smile. “Especially after, uh-”

“The cookiesh?”

Almond winced. “Yeah..”

Grizzlygum chuckled, a deep ‘ho ho ho’ sound that was enough to make her bones vibrate. “It’sh alright, no harm done in the end.”

Relieved, Almond straightened with a bright smile and a gleam in her eyes. She opened her mouth, only for-

“Oookay, sweet and all,” Cucumber interrupted, coming up to stand in between them. He lifted his arm up to lean against the cashier counter, glancing between the bear on the other side and his ‘Legendary Hero’ sister. “But I still need a sword.”

“Shword?” Grizzlygum tilted his head. “Oh! Chardonnay told ya, did she? Gawsh, she’s just too sweet.”

“Can you help us?” Almond shifted her feet. “My brother’s great with a wand and all-”

“But I’d be a wizard if I used a wand,” he sighed, very dramatically. “Wizards are  _ boring _ .”

“Oh, you want to be a knight?”

“Knights are boring too!”

Grizzlygum blinked, clearly at lost. 

Almond sighed. 

“He wants to be Nightside’s first Knightly Wizard,” Almond explained, with a small, but proud, tap on her brother’s shoulder. “A sword-wielding, magic-using, first in history, a dual-wielder fighter.”

Cucumber turned his head to her, passing a bright smile - one that Almond returned with one of her own.

“Gawsh! That shounds amazing!” Grizzlygum clapped his large, mitten-clad bear hands. “I’d love to make you a new shword!”

“Great!”

“I jusht can’t.”

Almond blinked.

Cucumber blinked.

Grizzlygum smiled.

Almond, slowly, breathed in a deep breath. “Why...not?”

Grizzlygum sighed - a sad and dejected sound that almost instantly made her feel sorry for him. “You shee, thish new queen of oursh hash a mighty shweet tooth. I have to finish of theshe batch of cookies to her, pronto!”

“What happens if you don’t?”

“Cuco!”

“What? I’m just asking!”

Grizzlygum shivered, then - large hands rubbing at his equally large shoulders, as if he were suddenly cold. “Then the Regent will be shent after me. I hear bad, bad thingsh about that Regent,” he murmured. “I don’t really want to find out.”

Almond...supposed that made sense. She hadn’t spent more than five minutes in the Regent’s company, and yet she could already tell that Cordelia was a threat to behold.

That is, considering Steve wasn’t in the same room with her...

The Legendary Hero breathed out a sharp breath, shaking her head as if she could physically shake off the thoughts. 

_ Not the time, Almond. _

“I’m sorry,” she said instead, blinking the last thoughts of ‘Steve’ away. She sighed, picking at her sleeves with her nails. “How’re going to get someone to make you a sword  _ now,  _ Cuco?”

Cucumber, for some odd reason, was just staring at her. Eventually, he raised an eyebrow, still staring at her. Almond was honestly starting to get pretty uncomfortable, with the way he was just staring at her without saying anything.

Then, slowly, it clicked.

She blinked.

Then she beamed.

“Ooooooooh!” Almond near squealed. “I can make it! I can make the sword!”

Cucumber sighed. “There we go.”

Grizzlygum, however, had his large head tilted quizzically. “ _ You _ ? You wanna make a shword?”

There, Almond deflated slightly. “Well-”

“Hey!” Cucumber crossed his arms, narrowed eyes passing what was just  _ short _ of a glare. “My sister’s one of the greatest young smiths there is! She was going to join Gabbro’s Smithing School for the Incredibly Rich and/or Stupendously Talented!”

Instantly, Grizzlygum reeled back. “No way. Gabbro’s shcool! Oh, why didn’t you shay sho!”

Almond chuckled, rubbing at the back of her neck. “It really isn’t-”

“Shay, you know who  _ elshe _ would be happy to help out a fellow Gabbro?”

“‘Fellow’-”

“The Bakerette Shishters!” Grizzlygum clapped his mitten-clad paws. “Have you met them yet?”

Almond winced, slightly. “Uh...yeah. Not long after we walked into the forest.”

She was content to leave it at that, but Cuco had a gleam in his gaze.

_ That _ kind of gleam.

“Yeah, the Bakerette sisters had a-”

“Cuco don’t.”

“-they had a-”

“Cuco,  _ please _ .”

“-a real upside-down way of introducing themselves!” Cucumber wheezed, doubling over at his own joke. “Oh, man!”

Almond scowled, knocking her brother upside the head. “I should’ve told Mom to just send you back.”

“Aww come on! It was a good joke.”

“It was  _ terrible _ .”

“Eh, for you,” Cuco shrugged. “I wasn’t the one hanging upside from a tree.”

“I’m not making you a new sword.”

“Okay okay! Sheesh, I’ll cut back on the jokes.”

Almond kept at her scowl for a good few seconds, before she too dissolved into a puddle of chuckles. 

“You’re laughing!”

“It was just  _ that _ bad!” Quickly, she forced herself to scowl through her amusement. “Shut up, Cuco.”

Cucumber grinned.

The two’s attention was drawn to Grizzlygum, who was covering his mouth with his hand in a failed attempt to stifle his laughter.

“Well, the Bakerette Shishters have shome equipment,” Grizzlygum said. “I’m shure they’ll let you borrow!”

Almond rubbed the back of her head, a look of concern running across her face. “Are you?”

Grizzlygum laughed. “I’m entirely shure, just tell them Grizzlygum shent you!” He stated, turning his back briefly. 

Almost instantly, he turned back - his arms now full with a rather large, dark brown rucksack. With a grunt, he placed the sack on the counter, the telltale sound of metals clinking against one another making Almond perk up considerably.

“Here,” he said, patting the sack. “Little bit of a kickshtarter!”

“Thanks Grizzly!” Cuco said, grabbing onto the sack. The moment he was to hold up its weight, the sack plummeted to the ground. Cucumber, bless his heart, attempted to lift it back up by pushing his near entire weight into it, his shoes skidding and sliding against the floor.

“Here Cuco.” Almond leaned forward, grabbing onto the sack with one hand, and hooking it across her shoulder. 

Cuco made a face.

“Now remember, tell them Grizzlygum shent ya!” The Baker Bear nodded, beaming a wide and toothless smile.

Almond tilted her head at this, still a little unsure...but eventually, she shrugged.

“Thanks, Grizzlygum!” She waved at him, making for the exit, Cucumber right at her heels.

”No problem!” He waved back as they walked out of the bakery. 

”So, we go to the sisters?” asked Cucumber. 

”Yeah, I think so.” 

”Then let's go!” Cucumber ran in the direction of the forest as Almond followed suit. At first, she was walking slowly, but then her steps quickened when she realized she was going to make a sword! 

A sword! 

A  _ sword! _

She soon caught up with Cucumber, then outran him until they reached the forest full of candy trees.

”Well,” Cuco said, placing his hands on his hips. He blinked. “What now?” 

”Hmm, how did we get their attention last time?” Almond frowned, tilting her head. She put a hand on her chin, shifting the sack on her shoulder and tapped her foot, thinking. 

”We uh, stepped foot in this forest and they thought we were going to ruin it,” Cucumber muttered, eyebrows furrowing. Almond snapped her fingers. ”That’s it! They are guardians and protectors! So that means if we want to catch their attention-” She grabbed some flowers and tore them apart. ”We gotta start some destruction!”

”Whoo! Now you’re speaking my language!” Cucumber started climbing up a tree and tore some branches out of it. 

After a few minutes of causing destruction, they heard the voices of the people they want. 

”What is causing all that noise man?” called out Baguette. She walked towards them with Tartelette by her side. Almond could tell  _ exactly _ when the first half of the guardians finally saw the chaos. ”WHAT?”

”What happened hon?” Tartelette walked and stood right next to Baguette to see the mess by herself. ”What? Heroes? Why did you do this to our precious forest?”

Almond blinked, glancing down to the torn-up flowers in her hands. Quickly, she dropped them and rubbed her dirty palms on the fabric of her pants. “Er, sorry! We just wanted to get your attention, and the forest is really big-”

Baguette fell to her knees, dramatically pulling at her hair. “Noooo! Man!! The flowers!! Man!!”

Almond winced.

Even Tartalette appeared crestfallen, closing her eyes and softly shaking her head. “Oh...hon…”

Suddenly feeling very guilty, Almond sighed out a breath. “Er...Cuco..?”

On the ground, leaning against that same tree he’d climbed up earlier, her brother scrunched up his face and made mock-disapproval tutting sounds. “Real legendary Hero of you, sis.”

“Just help me out..please?”

Cucumber grinned, flipping his wand, then lifting it up his head. The star glowed a soft green colour and - to the gasped out amazement of the two protectors - all the damage began rectifying themselves. The flowers planted themselves back into the soil, the branches lifted upwards and refastened themselves back upon the trees, even the rock that Almond had kicked over began rolling back to its original place.

Baguette and Tartelette blinked at their no-longer ruined forest, then dragged their gazes to a still grinning Cucumber. 

Cucumber met their gazes, shrugging and splaying his hands. “Tadaa..?”

Almond breathed out a sigh.

Cucumber made his way back over to her side as Baguette rose back up to her feet - helped up by Tartelette.

“Well man,” Baguette crossed her arms. "YYou got our attention.”

Almond smiled, albeit a bit- no,  _ very _ nervously. “Er...well, we uh...Grizzlygum couldn’t make us a sword, so-”

“Aw, hon, that’s too bad.” Tarteltte shook her head. “Grizzlygum’s the best in Caketown. We used to go to school together, all three of us!”

Almond perked up considerably at that. “Yeah! Gabbro’s school, right?”

“You’ve heard of it, man?”

“Almond was going to go there,” Cuco said, slapping her on the back. “Before this whole quest thing started anyway.”

The Bakerette sisters drew their gazes straight to her, making the ‘Legendary Hero’ gulp slightly. 

Then Tartelette brightened like the morning rays of the sun.  “You’re a Gabbro!” she squealed, leaning forward to wrap her arms around Almond. “Oh, why didn’t you say so hon!”

“I-”

“Y’know, if we knew you were a Gabbro, man, we never would’ve tied you up.” Baguette shrugged, grinning now. “Bros are bros.”

“Oh, but I’m-”

One glare from Cuco was enough to shut her right up - her jaw snapping shut so quickly that it made a soft clicking sound.

“What’cha need hon? What’s in that bag?” Tartelette nodded to the sack slung across Almond’s shoulder. 

Almond glanced at it, blinking. “Oh! Right, Grizzlygum was too busy to help make Cuco a new sword,” she said. “So I figured I’d just...y’know, make it myself.”

“Hey, that’s a bro, man!” Baguette grinned, clapping her on the shoulder - and doing it  _ much _ harsher than from what Cuco does. “Let me guess, you need a forge?”

“Er, yeah,” Almond nodded, wincing as she rubbed at her probably bruised shoulder. “Can you help us?”

“Absolutely!” Tartelette clapped her hands, already turning and walking back into the trees. “Follow us hon!”

Cuco and Almond shared a quick glance, then followed suit.

“Hey, sis?”

“Yeah, Cuco?”

Cucumber turned his head upwards to meet her gaze. “I sent in that letter for ya.”

Almond blinked once, twice, thrice. “You...did?”

“Yep. Draft number fifty-six.”

Almond’s smile grew slowly, but then it reached to a wide beam. She laughed, wrapping her arms around Cucumber’s neck in a sort of affectionate choke-hold as they walked. “You’re the best, Cuco.”

“Yeah yeah,” he grunted, returning her affectionate choke-hold with an affectionate punch to her side, successfully releasing himself from her grasp. “Thank me when you make it into the Gabbro’s.”

She only had a toothy grin for him in response.


	9. Act 2, Scene 2; Almond the Smith.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A showcase of Almond’s talents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Yellow. Sorry for the untold hiatus! We were writing, just not posting. Hopefully, we will update sooner.

The Guardians of Chardonnay’s home had made their own home in a seemingly inconspicuous hill - barely a bump of the earth. As soon as they walked to the other side though, a very well hidden door peeked out from some cleverly placed foliage.

“What’s with all the secrecy?” Cuco tilted his head, watching as the Sisters made to clear the way.

Tartelette turned her head over to them. “Well, this place has been here ever since Steve first came,” she said, grunting as she lifted off a thicket bush and threw it on the ground a few paces away from them. “Now, all the Guardians of the Forest make their home here.”

Baguette had been trying to force the door open for the past few seconds, finally gaining entry with a triumphant cry. After a gleaming glance back to the Heroes, she and her sister walked through the door.

Almond and Cucumber glanced at each other silently for a good few seconds. Eventually, Cuco just lifted his hands and shoulders up in a lopsided shrug.

“What’s the worst that can happen?” he pointed out.

Almond winced. “Don’t jinx us,” she muttered, stepping up to the door.

It was nearly half her height and the ‘Legendary Hero’ was forced to stoop down quite low to enter. She was, honestly, expecting to find herself cramped in a hand-dug burrow with just enough room to breathe. Surprisingly, however, the home seemed much smaller than it actually was. Almond straightened, staring at the hidden wideness of the area with near-equally wide eyes.

“Huh.”

The dirt scuffled behind her and Almond turned just quick enough to see Cucumber scrabble in through the hole. His eyes widened, most likely taken aback by the openness, as she was.

“Tadaa!” Tarteltte beamed, spreading her arms wide open. “Welcome to the Guardian’s Home!”

“It’s…” Almond blinked. “Nice.”

Seated on one of the wicker chairs, her feet already propped up, Baguette scoffed and waved a dismissing hand. “Obviously,” she said, though a genuinely pleased glint shone to her gaze.

“Kinda dusty,” Cucumber commented, scuffing the dirt floor with a foot. “But it’s cool, I guess.”

Almond grinned. “He means it’s great.”

“Well, that’s very sweet of you hon,” Tartelette purred. She brightened abruptly. “Oh! You wanted to use our forge, right?”

“Y-yeah!”

“Well,” Tartelette turned, one hand waving over her shoulder, “right this way!”

Almond took a few, excited steps in her direction before she stopped and paused. She turned her head, tilting it as she eyed the way Cucumber found a place in another wicker chair.

“Uh,” Almond said, blinking. “You’re not going to come?”

Cucumber sighed, closing his eyes as he leaned back. “Nope! You know how long it takes, sis. I’ll just wait here.”

“It doesn’t take that long, y’know,” Almond countered.

Cuco opened an eye, staring at her in an amused, yet somehow disinterested way. “Not to you..”

Almond opened her mouth, but the words died off before they could get far.

He...probably had a point...

Instead, she sighed, shook her head, and trotted after one half of the Guardians.

After a few minutes, she saw the forge, half embedded into the dirt wall. It had a waist-high platform, near black with soot from the fire. Bits and pieces of metal were scattered around the surface, and a hood above the dark and unused coals - most likely leading out, to avoid suffocation as soon as the forge was lit up.

It was beautiful.

Almond - her breath lost and her eyes widened - took a few more steps closer to the forge. She fiddled around with the coals and in almost no time at all, the fire was ignited.

She fell like she was tearing up. Or perhaps that was the heat.

Nope, the bright beaming smile on her face spoke otherwise.

“I’ll leave you to it then?” Almond jumped, turning her wide-eyed gaze to one half of the Guardians. Tartelette tilted her head at The Hero’s wonderous expression - whilst her own was softened greatly at the eyes.

“Y-yeah,” Almond finally found her words. She swallowed, nodded and - with no difficulty at all - beamed. “Thank you.”

…

“Cucumber! Get over here, I need your help.”

“Do I really have to?”

“Come on, you’ll like this part, I promise.”

“I swear sis, if you make me bang metal again I’m leaving you and questing on my own.”

“...er, actually, maybe you shouldn’t come over just yet…”

…

“Okay, I promise this time I actually need your help.”

Cucumber stood with his arms crossed, one foot tapping impatiently. His eyebrow was raised, his expression the textbook definition of unimpressed.

“Sure.”

Almond wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her wrist. She grinned, too swept in with the joy of creating to bee too bothered by Cucumber’s obvious disinterest.

“Just come over here,” she gestured to a spot beside the forge. “You got your wand with you?”

“Obviously.” Cucumber moved to stand on the spot. He drew out his wand from his pocket and hefted it once in his hand. His eyes were widened slightly, their green depths now gleaming with excitement.

Almond felt her grin grow wider. “On the count of three, I need you to fire a blast for exactly fifteen seconds.”

Cucumber didn’t give her a response - not a verbal one anyway. The way he widened both his grin and his stance was good enough for her.

“One….two….”

…

The Legendary Heroes stood outside of the Guardians’ home. Morning light filtered in past the multi-coloured leaves.

Almond shifted slightly, uncomfortable with how her back ached. Possibly from all that time she spent forging away a new sword - but then again, she did spend the whole night sleeping on a dirt floor. Cucumber seemed to be unbothered, at least. Her little brother was bouncing up and down, flipping his wand in his hand with such vigour that it seemed to disappear for a brief half-second.

“Well?” The demand in his tone was over-blown by the sheer excitement. “Show me show me show me show me show me-”

Almond chuckled, twisting around, and drawing the sword out of its leather scabbard. The pale orange blade glinted in the sunlight, showing off its wickedly sharp edges. It’s hilt - a dark forest green - was decorated with engravings.

Almond was never one of magic, but she learned enough of it to add into her work.

Cucumber made like a giggle as he held the sword in his hand. He distanced himself, widened his stance, and gave the sword a few experimental swipes.

“Hey.” A voice sounded behind her and Almond jumped. Baguette stared down at her with an amused look, before her gaze was drawn back towards the sword. An appreciative whistle slipped past her lips. “You made that in a single day? That’s super impressive man.”

Almond chuckled, meekly rubbing the back of her neck. “Yeah...I tend to get...too into it, sometimes.”

They watched as Cucumber laughed and swung the sword around. Through the corner of her eye, Almond saw Baguette flinch as the sword was embedded into the bark of a tree.

A sudden thought came to the Legendary Hero. “Hey Cuco!” she called, a grin already stretching on her face. “Wanna try something out?”

“Do I?” Cucumber grinned, holding the sword in both hands. “Lay it on me, sis.”

“Hey, man, maybe you shouldn’t do this here-”

“Swing the sword and think about fire!” Almond clapped her hands gleefully. “Do it! Trust me.”

Cucumber had raised an eyebrow at her words, but now his gaze widened. An impossibly wide, slightly manic grin stretched upon his face.

Almond watched - whilst Baguette fidgeted - as Cucumber lifted the sword high above his head. With a loud cry, he swung the sword-

-and released an arch of bright orange. One that shot forward a few paces before slamming flat against the ground - and instantly setting fire to the undergrowth.

“NO WAY!” Cucumber stared at her, the grin on his face and in his eyes and in his voice, too. “NO HECKING WAY.” Almond merely grinned, cheekily.

Then Baguette gave a short screech. “The bushes! Come on, man!”

Almond winced, instantly feeling guilty. She opened her mouth to say something - an apology, maybe - before the fire instantly put itself out.

Both she and Baguette blinked. Slowly, they turned their heads to Cucumber - who extended the sword in the direction of where the flame used to burn, a wicked grin on his face.

One that morphed into pure sincerity as Cucumber jogged on over to her. In a flash, her little brother has the Legendary Hero in a tight embrace.

“You’re the best sis,” Cucumber mumbled. Almond laughed softly and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Any time, bro.”

“Sorry to interrupt such a sweet moment,” Baguette interrupted. She had been joined by her sister, who stared at the slightly charred ground with wide eyes. “But can you guys get out of our forest now?”


End file.
